Switch mechanism



Patented June 8, 1920.

8 SHEETS-SHEET l.

3 wwzntoz IIIEIIIDI |||1 H. F. KRANTZ.

SWITCH MECHANISNI.

WPHC/111011 meu 11:13.11. 1919.

H. F. KRANTZ.

SWITCH MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. II, 1919.

1,342,548. Patented June 8, 1920.

B SHEETS-SHEET 2.

H. F. KRANTZ.

SWITCH MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. II, 1919.

Patented Jue 8, 1920.

8 SHEETS--SHEET 3 H. KRANTZ.

SWITCH MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED mm1, 1919.

Patented June 8, 1920.

8 SHEES-SHEET 4.

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|||| l I l 4 @wwwa H. F. KRANTZ.

SWITCH MECHANISM; i APPLICATION F1150 1511.11, 1919.

Patented June 8, 1920.

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H. F. KRANTZ.

SWITCH MECHANISM.

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B. E rra D E N O ...H m U DI P Z A H. F. KRANTZ.

SWITCH MECHANISM.

APPLICATION HLED ri. 11. 1919.

1 ,342,548. l Patented June 8, 1920.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 7.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HUBERT F. KRANTZ, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO KRNTZ MANUFAC-TURINGKCOMPANY, INC., OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION'OF NEW YORK.

SWITCH MECHANISM.

Original application led August To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, HUBERT F. KRANTZ, residing at Brooklyn, in thecounty of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in a Switch Mechanism, of which the following is aspecification.

This is a division of pending application Serial No. 184,011, multipleunit safety switch board, filed August 2, 1917, and the invention hereindescribed and claimed relates to a switch mechanism.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved switch mechanism,together with means for governing the operation thereof in accordancewith the position of a guard member which is associated therewith, andinversely to govern the position of the guard member in accordance withthe position of the switch mechanism.

A further object is to provide a switch mechanism which, whileparticularly adapted for use in connection with the multiple unit switchboard shown and described in said pending application, is neverthelessadapted for use in individual switch boxes and in other connections.

Other objects and aims of the invention, more or less specific thanthose referred to above, will be in part obvious and in part pointed outinthe course of the following description of the elements, combinations,arrangements of parts and applications of principles, constituting theinvention; and the scope of protection contemplated will be indicated inthe appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings which are to be taken as a part of thisspecification, and in which I have shown merely a preferred form ofembodiment of the invention Figure 1 is a rear elevational view of aswitch board constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view ofthe major portion of the switch board ofFig. 1,`showing one of the switch units in position to be moved into itsrespective stall.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevational view of a part of the structure shown inFig. 1, enlarged to show the details of construction of one of thestalls, together with the arrangement of Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented June s, 1920.

2, 1917, Serial No. 184,011. Divided and this application filed February11, 1919. Serial No. 276,346.

parts of the switch unit in position therein,

the guardl members, or doors, for the stalls Fig. 4 Ais a verticaltransverse sectionalk v iew taken substantially upon the plane of lineIV of Fig. 3, the parts of the Switch mechanism being shown in the onposition and the door being shown'closed.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic View of a portion of the structure of Fig. 4showing the position of the parts when the switch is in the on position,with the door yet closed.

F ig. 6 is a diagrammatic view showing parts of Fig. `5 as they appearwith the door open. f

Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken ubstantially upon the planeof line VII of iig. 4. f f

Fig. 8 is a further enlarged fragmentary sectional view vtakensubstantially upon the plane of line VIII of Fig. 4, the parts of theswitch mechanism being in the on position.

Fig. 9 is a similar sectional view showing the parts of Fig. 8 with theswitch mechanism in the off position and the door open.

Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view taken substantially upon the plane ofline X of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a detail perspective View of the connecting link whichextends from the switch mechanism to the door.

F ig. 12 is a detail sectional view, similar to a portion of Fig. 4, butshowing the manner in which certain portions of the switch mechanism maybe disassembled when occasion arises.

Fig. 13 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially upon theplane of line XIII of Fig. 12.

Fig. k14'is a horizontal sectional view illustrating the kmanner ofconnecting a plurality f ings, the base plate, of the structure isindicated by the reference character L. The switch mechanism, and itsconnections, are supported at one side of this base plate, while theoperating handles project through the base plate to the opposite sidethereof.

The bus bars, as 1 and 2, are fixed at the first, or rear, side of thebase plate extending vertically thereof.

Branch line wire channels 3 are provided at the rear of the base plateextending approximately throughout the height thereof at the oppositeside edges of the base plate. The wire channels are made up of sidewalls il and 5, and a front wall (i, and the two channels collectivelydefine a space between them adapted for containing the switch mechanism.

rin intermediate partition 'T is provided substantially midway betweenthe channels and between the sets of bus bars so as to di.- vide saidspace with one set of bus bars at each side.

The space between the partition wall and either of the channels may bedivided vertically by any number of horizontal partitions 8 so as dividesaid space into a desired number of super-posed pockets, or stalls. lnthe drawing three such stalls are shown at each side of the partition.Each stall is closed at the rear by a separate guard door G, and eachstall is adapted to removably contain one of the switch units. TheswitchA units are each independently formed and independently operableand one such is illustrated at H in Fig. 2, being there shown detachedand in position to be inserted in its respective stall.

The switch units each comprise a base board 9, preferably of insulatingmaterial, such as slate, and when the unit is inserted in the stall thisbase board stands substan tially parallel with the rear surface of thebase plate L but spaced away from said surface so as to constitute abarrier within the stall for the bus bars. The bus bars thus may not becarelessly touched by an operator when the door is open.

it the rear surface of the base board. or barrier. 9, fuse clips 10 and11 are arranged for supporting fuses 12.

the forward face of the base board 9 are arranged contact members 13 forthe switch blades 14.

The contact members 12 are positioned opposite to the adjacent main linebus bars 1. and there is. of course, one switch blade for each bus barand one contact 13 for each switch blade. The contacts 13 are elec'-trically connected with the fuse clips 11 preferably by means of bolts15 which eX- tend through the base board to hold the fuse clips andcontact members in position.

The fuse clips 10 are carried by plates 16 to which the branch lineterminals 17 may be connected, as clearly shown in Fia'. el.

The switch blades 1li are supported by an elongated carrier 1S which ispivoted to roel; about its longitudinal axis. Suitable extensions 19 areprovided at the opposite ends of the carrier to engage within bear ingsformed in the supporting plates 20. The blades are spaced apart alongthe length of the carrier and project laterally therefrom. They areinsulated from each other as by means of the insulating strips 21. rTheblades are double ended so in on position their opposite endssimultaneously engage the bus bars 1 and the contact members 13respectively.

The supporting plates 20 are carried by the board, or barrier, 9 bymeans of bracket plates 2:2 which are arranged one at each edge of thebarrier and at right angles to the plane of the barrier. They are Xed tothe barrier by means of bolts, or rivets, 23 which extend through thebarrier and through portions 24 of the plates which are bent at rightangles and which rest against the forward, or inner, surface of thebarrier. The supporting plates 2O are riveted, or otherwise secured, tothe inner surfaces of the plates 22 and extend forwardly beyond thebarrier 9, as clearly indicated.

f course. it will be understood that any other suitable means may beemployed for connecting the supporting plates 2O with the barrier 9. Theparticular requirement in this connection is that the supporting plates,and all of the parts carried thereby, shall be in turn carried by thebarrier so as to be bodily insertible into the stall, and bodilyremovable from the stall with the barrier. The barrier may be consideredas a frame, or carrier, for the switch mecha nism, contacts, and fuseclips, by means of which all of said parts may be readily arranged inproper cooperative position with the bus bars.

lVhen moving a switch unit into position within a stall it is simplynecessary to rest the lower edge of the barrier upon the hori zontalpartition 8 forming the bottom wall of the stall and then to move thebarrier inwardly until the upper and lower portions of its forward faceengage against cross members 25. Atta :hing screws 2G are then insertedthrough suitable apertures formed in the cross members to bind thebarrier in position.

The cross members 25 are fixed by their outer ends to the walls 4t andby their inner ends to the central partition 7. They are sutlicientlywide to project above and below the adjacent horizontal partition 8.

The position of the cross members is such with respect to the rearsurface of the base plate L as to properly and positively determine theposition of the forward face of the barrier with respect to the bus barswhen the barriers are moved home against said cross members. The switchblades, and the contacts 13, are likewise aroperly positioned by thecross members at t e same time.

The walls 4 have openings 27 formed therethrough through which thebranch line wires may lead from the wire channels into the respectivestalls.

The construction of the switch mechanism, and its manner of control,includes a bellcrank which is pivotally mounted, asat 28, upon the outersupporting plate 20. This bell-crank is preferably made up of twoplates, as 29 and 30, spaced apart. At the endy of one of the arms, alink 31 is pivotally mounted between the plates and extends into pivotalconnection with the switch blade carrier 18, the point of connectionwith the switch blade carrier being at one side of the pivotal axis, as32. The bell-crank and the link 31 constitute a toggle by means of whichto swing the switch blades to on and off positions.

An operating rod 33 extends between the plates 29 and 3l and has slotconnection with a cross pin 34 at the remaining end of the bell-crank.This operating rod extends forwardly through an opening 35 formed in theface plate L, and is pivotally connected, as at 36, to an operatinghandle 37. The operating handle is pivotally mounted at a point spacedfrom the pivot 36, as at 38, so as to serve as a crank to move the rodbackwardly and forwardly when the operatin handle is swung.

Thus, when the operating handle is moved into a vertical or on position,the rod 33 swings the bell-crank and straightens the toggle so as tohold the switch blade on, as shown in Fig. 4. 0n the other hand, whenthe handle is thrown down into the off position, the rod 33 is movedbackwardly so that the end wall 39 of its slot engages the cross pin 34and swings the bell-crank to break the toggle and permit the switchblade to snap into off position,

shown in Fig. 5.

A coil spring 40 is arranged at the opposite end of the carrier 18 inengagement between the carrier and the adjacent supporting plate 2O soas to exert a constant tendency to move the carrier into the offposition. T he slot in the rod 33 provides for an unobstructed movementof the toggle into ries ra lug 45 which slides backwardly and forwardlyalong a slot 46 formed in the adjacent plate 20 whenever the door isopened or closed. A transverse head 47 is formed at the outer end of thelug to prevent accidental detachment from the slot.

The plate 30 of the bell-crank above described, is enlarged and isprovided with an arcuate slot 48 through which the lug 45 extends, theplate 30 being interposed between the plate 20 and the link 42. One endof the slot 48 terminates in a radial extension slot 49. Vhen thebell-crank is in the on7 position, the lug 45 stands at one end of thearcuate slot 48 and the engagement of the walls of this slot with thelug' prevents the lug from moving outwardly along the slot 46, and thus,of course, prevents the door from being opened. So long as the doorremains closed, the bell-crank may swing freely during the ,on and offmovements of the switch mechanism, the lug being at this timeaccommodated by the arcuate slot. Vhen the bell-crank is in the offposition, the extension slot 49 will stand in parallelism with the slot46, and the door may then be opened at will, the lug 45 traveling alongthe length of the two slots, as clearly shown in Figs. 5 and 6. f

After the lug 45 has moved into the slot 49, said lug serves as apositive stop against any return rotation of the plate 30, thus lockingthe switch mechanism in the olf position whenever the door is open.

The free edges of the sets of doors at opposite sides of the centralpartition 7 are supported by an extension strip 50 which preferablyprojects outwardly from between said doors a sujflicient distance toallow a slight opening movement of the door without giving access intothe space behind the door. v This will take care of any inaccuracies, orlooseness offered between the parts connecting the door with the switchmechanism, and will insure an off position of the switch mechanismbefore access is given.

Shoulders 51 are provided at opposite sides of the strip 50 serving asabutments for the doors.

The partitions 7 and 8 are spaced from the rear surface of the faceplate L so as to providek for free circulation of air.

It will be seen that by means of this construction the rear surface ofthe base plate is divided ofix into a number of well ventilated stalls,each having its independently operable and independently attached, and

independently removable switch unit, that.

each stall is guarded by an independent guard member or door, that eachswitch unit includes a barrier spaced back of the door providing a safefuse compartment and a guarded switch compartment, .that the door to thefuse compartment may not be opened except when the fuse terminals Leesare dead, and that the switch may not be moved to i on position torender the fuses live except when the door is closed.

When it is desired to remove one of the switch units it is simplynecessary to throw the switch off, open the door, remove the screws Q6and disconnect the link L12 and the rod 33 from lthe door and the switchhandle, and then lift the switch unit away to be conveniently operatedupon to any extent and then as readily returned.

The operating rod 238 preferably moves through a supporting member 52provided upon the plate 20, and the object of this supporting member isto retain the rod in a substantially horizontal position when the switchunit is detached, as shown in Fig. 2, thus facilitating the proper andeasy entrance of the rod into the aperture 35 of the base plate L whenmoving the switch unit into a stall.

T he link L12 may be disconnected from the door by simply lifting outthe pin et?) which is preferably provided with remo vvable cotter pin 53for this purpose. lVlien the link drops downwardly into the verticalposition its head Ll? will then register with the slot L16 and may bereadily disconnected from the plate 2O if desired.

The operating rod 33 may be easily disconnected from the switch handle37 in the manner suggested in Figs. 12 and 13. This includes first theremoval of the pivot pin 38 thus allowing the operating handle to dropso that the pivot pin 3G falls below the lower edge of the bracketplates 5i. rhe pin 3G may then be readily slid out. Until the pin 3S waswithdrawn the pin 36 was held against displacement by the opposingbracket plates between which i.J moved.

Then it is desired to provide a very large switch board several of thesections shown in Fig. 1 may be set side by side and connected togetheras suggested by the sectional view of Fig. 14.

In making the connection the outer wall members 5 of the wire channelsare removed and the single cover plate 55 bridges between the adjacentplates si, thus making an attractive and substantial connection betweenthe sections and at the same time providing a double size channel forthe branch line wires which now will lead tlierealong and in oppositedirections to the adjacent stalls at opposite sides of the channel. rEhebrackets 5G, to which the walls 5 were connected are now connectedtogether by suitable bolts.

The guard doors G, for all of the sections7 may be fitted with springcatches 5T arranged to engage within openings 58 formed in the strip 50.

ln Fig. 15 a modification is shown by which the contacts 13, at the rearface of the board or barrier 9, and the plates for carrying the fuseclips 11, may be made as an integral element instead of depending uponthe bolts (as 15, in Fig. 4c) for electrical connection. This includesmaking the contact member and the plates from a single strip of materialbent into Zsshape and passed through an opening formed in the barrier,as clearly indicated.

is many changes could be made in this construction without de Jartinv"from the I scope of the invent-ion as defined in the following claims,it is intended that all matter contained in the above description orshown in the accompanying drawings, shall be interpreted as illustrativeonly and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Let ters Patent is:

1. A switchk unit adapted for use as one element of a switch boardstructure, said switch unit comprising a board, fuse clips supported bythe board at one surface thereof, and a switch mechanism supported bythe board at the opposite `surface thereof and electrically connectedthrough the board with the fuse clips, and the board constitute ingmeans whereby to support the switch unit in the switch board structure.

9.-. A switch unit adapted for use as one element of a switch boardstructure, said s 'itch unit comprising a board, fuse clips supported bythe board at one surface thereof, brackets fixed to the board at theoppos ite edges thereof, a switch blade carrier pivotally mounted insaid brackets at the side of the board opposite to the fuse clips,switch blades supported in said carrier to swing therewith, contacts forthe switch blades carried by the board and electrically connectedthrough the board with the fuse clips, and means supported partly by oneof said brackets whereby to swing the carrier for moving the switchblades with respect tothe contacts.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a base platehaving a switch handle at one side thereof, switch mechanism at theopposite side thereof, and

connecting rod extending through said base plate connecting saidoperating handle with said switch mechanism to operate said switchmechanism from said operating handle, of a bracket including a pair ofears between which the operating handle is pivotally mounted, theoperating handle in cluding spaced legs between which the end of theconnecting rod extends, said legs and rod having mating aperturestherethrough, a headless pivot pin extending through said matingapertures to pivotaliy connect the rod with said legs, said ears havingparts disposed to normally stand at all times in position to preventdisengagement of the headless pin from said mating apertures,

and means whereby the headless pin may be made to stand in an abnormalposition free of said ears to facilitate disengagement of said headlesspin if desired.

4. A switch unit adapted for use as one element of a switch boardstructure, said switch unit comprising a board, fuse retaining partssupported by the board at one face thereof, a switch mechanism supportedby the board at the opposite face thereof, and the board constitutingmeans whereby to support the switch unit in the switch board structure.

5. A switch unit adapted for use as one element of a switch boardstructure, said switch unit comprising a board, fuse retaining partssupported by the board at one face thereof, switch blade supportingmeans extending from the opposite face of the board7 a switch bladepivotally mounted upon said switch blade supporting means adapted toswing for performing its appointed function in the switch boardstructure7 and operating means to swing said switch blade.

6. A handle and connections therefor, a

bers, an element extending between said pair n of members, a separatelyformed pivot member connecting said handle with said element betweensaid pair of members, said pair of members having parts disposednormally to stand at all times in position to prevent disengagement ofsaid separatelyk formed pivot member, and means whereby said separatelyformed pivot member may be made to stand in an abnormal position free ofsaid pair of members to facilitate disengagement of said handle fromsaid mentioned element.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

` HUBERT F. KRANTZ. Witnesses: f

' C. J. PETERSEN,

B. L. STEERS.

